Insects injurious to fruits . stributed, beingfound throughout the greater part of North and SouthAmerica. In some parts of the Southern States it is partic-ularly destructive. The larvae, which are shown feeding onthe leaves in Fig. 377, are, when mature, about an inch anda quarter long, translucent, and of a yellowish-green color,with a few scattered hairs over their bodies. They are notcontent to feed on the leaves only, but eat into melons, cu-cumbers, and pumpkins at all stages of growth, sometimesexcavating shallow cavities, and at other times penetratingdirectly into the substance of th
Insects injurious to fruits . stributed, beingfound throughout the greater part of North and SouthAmerica. In some parts of the Southern States it is partic-ularly destructive. The larvae, which are shown feeding onthe leaves in Fig. 377, are, when mature, about an inch anda quarter long, translucent, and of a yellowish-green color,with a few scattered hairs over their bodies. They are notcontent to feed on the leaves only, but eat into melons, cu-cumbers, and pumpkins at all stages of growth, sometimesexcavating shallow cavities, and at other times penetratingdirectly into the substance of the fruit. They spin their 366 INSECTS INJURIOUS TO THE MELON. cocoons in a fold of tlie leaf of the melon, as shown in thefigure, or on any other plant growing near by, and changeto slender, brown chrysalids, about three-quarters of an inchlong, from which, in a short time, the perfect insect is pro-duced. The moth, which is also represented in Fig. 377, is verybeautiful. The wings are of a pearly-white color, with a Fig. peculiar iridescence, bordered with black, and they measure,when expanded, about an inch across. The body and legsare of the same glistening white, and the abdomen terminatesin a movable brush-like tuft of a pretty buff color, tippedwith white and black. The number of broods of this insectduring the year has not been definitely ascertained ; the winteris passed in the chrysalis state. ATTACKING THE FRUIT. 367 Remedies.—If the first brood of young worms occur beforethe melons have attained half their growth, powdered helle-bore mixed witli water, in the pro])ortion of an ounce to twogallons of water, and sprinkled on the vines, may be safelyused to destroy them. Strong tobacco-water would also probably have the same effect, while on small patches they coulddoubtless be killed by hand. Two species of parasitic insectsare known to prey on them : one is a species of Tachina fly,the other an Ichneumon fly, Cryptus conquisitor. (See , where it is referr
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